Bookcase or display-rack.



No. 793,451. RATRNTRD JUNR 27, 1905.

R. R. LINDSAY R F. R. BURGH.

ROUKGASR 0R DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.1,1904.

UNITED STATES Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

ROBERT H. LlNDSAY AND FREDERICK R. BURCH, .OF SEATTLE,

- WASHlNGTON.

BOOKCASE OR DISPLAY-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 110,793,451, dated June 27, 1905.

' Application filed October 1, 1904. Serial No. 226,758.

T0 all whom, it muy concern: Y

Be it known that we, ROBERT H. LINDSAY and FREDERICK R. BURCH, citizens of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bookcases or Display-Racks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to bookcases or display-stands.

The principal objects of our invention are to provide a sectional device of this character wherein the shelves or trays are vertically movable to adjust the intervening spaces of each section according to the heights' of the books or other articles carried and also to furnish means for swinging the shelves individually outward in order that the tops and backs of the contained articles may be conveniently dusted without disturbing such articles or for the purpose of exhibiting the same from their rear sides. `We attain these and other objects by the novel lconstruction and combination of parts described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, showing embodiments of the invention, Figure l is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan view, ofthe preferred construction. Fig. 3 is a modification thereof adapted for use as a wall-ease. Fig. 4L is a fragmentary perspective view of the invention, and Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken through one of the hinge connections shown inthe other vlews.

In the said drawlngs, Q represents the l shelves, which are severally provided with end walls 2' and a strip 2, extending longitudiv nally thereof along their rear edges and forming abutments to prevent the books being shoved therebeyond. The shelves are arranged horizontally in pairs, which are pivotally connected, as by socket attachments 3 and 3, to bush-sleeves 4, slidably connected to upright members 5 of theframe. The said bushsleeves are each formed with annular shoulders 4 and f1" to provide bearings for the said sockets and are spaced apart at a slightlyl greater distance than the axial length of the respective socket 3, so that the upper sockets will be carried upon the shoulders 4:.

Bracket-supports 6 are provided for sustaining the ends of the shelves opposite to the said pivots and, like the bush attachments, are provided with sleeves 6', slidable upon upright frame members 5', and are formed or provided with arms 7, extending crosswise of the frame and having their upper edges 11 inclined or sloping downwardly toward their extremities. Strips 8 are provided upon the under side of each of the shelves, at the bracket ends thereof, and are sloped upon their under sides correspondingly to the bracket edges 11 of the arms, so as to give an extended bearing when seated thereon. Lugs 8 project downwardly from the strips 8 and are positioned to register with slots 7" of the bracket-arms when the shelves are closed and prevent the accidental opening of the latter. The bush and bracket sleeves are provided with binding or set screws 9 and 10, extending through screwthreaded apertures 9/ and 10 of these parts and adapted to have their ends make engagement with the respective said frame members, thus affording means for reliably securing the said sustaining attachments at various an predetermined positions for regulating or adjusting the heights of the shelves. The aforesaid upright frame members 5 and 5 and also the supplemental like member 5'/ where required'are preferably constructed of hollow metallic tubing and are connected by metal tie rods or braces 12, screwed or otherwise secured to terminal pipe-fittings 13 of the said upright frame members or to the feet members 137, thereby forming a neat and rigid structure. These sections, each comprising an upright membercarrying the pivotal sockets and an upright member carrying the brackets of asingle vertical tier of shelves or of two such tiers arranged back to back, as in Fig. 2,with their connecting tie-rods and supplemental upright members, if required for stability, are so arranged as to be capable of being augmented by additional sections attachable to either end, and to facilitate such additions we provide screw-threaded apertures, as 12', for the reception of the tie-rod ends in the several said pi pe-fittings and arranged oppositely to those already utilized, as 12, and also provide means for securing removable supplemental bracket-arms 7 to the said supports 6, while the stepped bush-sleeves 4 will obviously serve to carry the ends of one or two shelves of adjoining sections.

An advantageous manner of detachably con-Y necting the bracket-arms 7 to their respective supports is by forming in each of the latter a T-shaped slot 15 for receiving a transversely-projecting offset l5 of a supplemental arm of corresponding shape, and these slots each may terminate either in a closed bottom wall or be inclined to make a reduced opening below.

Where the shelvingI is to be used against the wall and where it is customary to extend the tiers of shelves to a greater height than in isolated positions, we prefer to dispose the frame members 5 in couples, as shown in Fig. 3, and at some distance apart and connect them by longitudinal pieces 16, one above the other and at such intervals apart as to provide rungs or ladder-steps, whereby a person may ascend to conveniently reach the books placed upon even the uppermost of the shelves.

The advantages accruing from the invention reside, first, in the fact that by the use of the hinged shelves the tops and backs of contained books may be dusted without molesting the books by simply swinging out the proper shelf; secondly, the shelves are capable of being raised or lowered to suit special requirements; third, the skeleton construction of the frame affords no harbor for the accumulation of dirt, microbes, or the like, and, fourth, the construction is inexpensive and pleasing to the eye and of such nature that it can be readily assembled or taken apart or additions put thereon to increase the capacity according to the demand.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secu-re by Letters Patent, is`

l. The combination with the frame including two upright members and a shelf, of vertically-movable means for pivotally securing one end of the shelf to one of said members and vertically-movable means provided upon the other of said members for supporting the other end of the shelf when in its closed position.

2. The combination with a frame composed of upright tubular members and the connecting tie-rods, of the shelves which are respectively pivoted at one end to bush-sleeves slidable vertically upon one of the said upright frame members, brackets slidable vertically upon the other of said upright frame members and adapted to support the free ends of the several shelves when in their closed positions, and means to secure the said bush-sleeves and the said brackets in their adjusted positions.

3. The combination with the frame, of the outwardly-swinging shelves therefor, means carried by the frame for sustaining the free ends of the several shelves when in their closed positions, and registering devices for locking said free ends to saidsustaining means when in such closed positions.

4. The combination with a frame-section, the swinging shelves therefor, and means for sustaining the free ends of said shelves when closed, of means formed or provided upon an end of said frame-section whereby another frame section may be detachably secured thereto, said section end acting to sustain the adjacent ends of thev shelves provided in the last-named frame-section.

5. In a case of the character described, the combination with upright frame members arranged in pairs intermediate of tiers of shelves, of horizontal members disposed one above the other and connecting each of said pairs of frame members whereby a ladder is formed thereat.

6. A case of the character described, comprising upright frame members,socketsleeves adj ustably secu red to certain of said members, brackets adjustably secured toother of said members, said brackets being provided with outwardly and downwardly sloping arms, shelves pivotally connected to the said sleeves and provided at their other ends with down- IOO 

